A VIOLENT soldier punched his wife - and struck a baby she was holding in her arms, a court heard.

Father-of-two Robert Jackson, 24, who is stationed in Cambridgeshire, struck when the couple had come to visit his family in Nelson, he had been drinking and his wife wanted to go back home.

The defendant froze after he hit the child and asked: "What have I done?" Burnley magistrates heard.

Jackson, from Manor Street, Nelson, admitted two counts of assault by beating on August 3.

He was given a two-year community order with supervision and must attend the domestic abuse programme. He was also told to pay £55 costs.

Elizabeth Read, prosecuting, told the court the punch to Jackson's wife Rebecca was deliberate but the assault on the infant was reckless.

The couple had come to see Jackson's family in Nelson, the victim was asking how long they would be staying and the defendant drank for most of the day.

Mrs Jackson started to pack and Jackson got very upset after his wife made a remark about his mother to her mother on the phone.

He used foul language and his wife put his clothes on the bed.

Mrs Read said the defendant then hit Mrs Jackson in the face, but caught the baby with his fist.

The victim ran downstairs, left with her two children and called the police.

Both Mrs Jackson and the child were bruised.

Mrs Read said the victim and defendant had been married two years and she would say he had always drank more then she wanted him to.

The marriage had gone well until about last September when he was arrested over a domestic incident.

The court was told the defendant, who had been cautioned for violence on his wife, had had a spell at The Priory rehabilitation centre after his drinking got worse.

Trevor Grice, defending, said Jackson's wife was supportive of him. His offending was fuelled by drink.